


Night Light

by VisionaryGalaxy



Series: A Thousand Futures of Me and You [145]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Boys In Love, Cuddling & Snuggling, Don't copy to another site, Established Relationship, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Protective Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-20 01:08:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18982099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VisionaryGalaxy/pseuds/VisionaryGalaxy
Summary: Having so much power at one's disposal can be a difficult burden to bear.





	Night Light

  Tony wasn’t sure what woke him, his mind coming to awareness on a soft exhale. He laid still, an ingrained reflex upon waking since the nightmares began and blinked in the darkness that was his room.

   Except it wasn’t dark, not completely.

   The softest of blue hues flickered against the wall and curtain. For a moment he thought it was his reactor, but the familiar emptiness in the center of his chest assured him that it was still gone. The light danced, moving in irregular patterns as Tony stared in confusion.

   He wasn’t afraid, some instinct buried deep, assuring him he was safe. Stephen was laying in bed somewhere behind him and for whatever reason he swore the prickling along his spine and neck had the telltale signature of Stephen’s energy, his magic.

   He turned slowly, not wanting to disturb whatever was happening behind him, only to find Stephen sat up in bed, comforter having fallen around his waist. His lover was staring straight ahead, one hand out while his fingers shifted minutely, and his lips moved silently.

   Springing from those fingertips were little blue butterflies that emanated a gentle glow. It would spark, small as a firefly before blooming its wings and a body elongating itself. There were three moving around the room, flying in tight circles and noticeably not straying too far from their master. As Tony watched, one of the butterflies began to fade, its shape and colour dimming until it had disappeared completely. Almost instantly, another burst forth from his hand to join its brethren.

   There was something about it that was incredibly soothing. Tony laid there, eyes following their movements with a small smile, unable to help himself. He wasn’t sure how long stayed there in silence, no less then three of the creatures appearing at a time, simply enjoying the blue light bathed over them.

   “Did I wake you?” Stephen asked quietly.

   “No.”

   “I can-”

   “Don’t” Tony interrupted. “I like them.”

   Stephen continued on dutifully, his own expression hidden in the shadows of the room. Tony waited, knowing that there was something, must be something to explain this strange use of magic. Stephen never used his talent for anything that wasn’t necessary, practice, or experimental and the last time he’d seen something like this, had been on Titan.

   Tony expected the reminder to unsettle him, to bring back the barrage of images that were the source of his nightmares these days, but it didn’t. Instead all he felt was calm, confident that so long as his lover was by his side, there was nothing in the world that would disturb them, that would dare.

   “They’re beautiful,” Tony commented.

   “Thank you.”

   Slowly, Tony reached out to place a careful hand on Stephen’s thigh, watching his reaction closely, but he didn’t move, didn’t look at him. Caught in his head like he always was, came Tony’s diagnosis and usually that was scary, but tonight felt different.

   “Are you alright?”

   That earned him a glance and a strained smile before quickly darting back to the creatures in front of them. Stephen’s free hand landed on top of his own, reassuring and familiar.

   “I’m ok….sometimes I just like to…make something nice, and harmless, and innocent,” Stephen murmured, the light being casted from the butterflies growing for a moment, revealing his lover’s wide stormy eyes. “I like to remind myself that I can create something that can just be…even if its only for a short while.”

   Tony breath caught.

   Then he was sitting up and pressing close to Stephen offering the only kind of comfort that would be accepted at a moment like this. This wasn’t new thought it was certainly rare to hear. Stephen was one of the most powerful beings to exist on this planet between his natural grasp of the mystic arts and his position as a leader among sorcerers. The reality was that sometimes it scared him to realize just how much was riding on it, how many people needed him to be strong and good.

   Tony didn’t blame him. There were some weights that felt impossible to bear. He wished only that he could do more to lift the burden but there was nothing to be done besides being there and that was exactly what he intended to do.

   He said nothing, staying up with Stephen and watching the creatures flutter about, until his hand fell into his lap and his eyes grew heavy. Eventually, Stephen’s head came to rest on his shoulder and one by one the three butterflies blinked out of existence as he fell into unconsciousness. It was alright, Tony was more then content to watch over him until morning came and he inevitably had to done the mask once more.

**Author's Note:**

> Uploads will be every second day for right now as I work on a longer fic. Sorry.


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